Process of depositing carbon in porous substances.



uivrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE APPLETON IBEATTY, OF NEW YORK, N. -Y., ASSIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 9F ONE-FOURTH 'TO HORACE HERBERT SMI'IIbOE NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE-HALF TO VIVIAN M. FLEMING, OE FREDEBICKSBURG, VIRGINIA. I

rnocnssor nnrosrrm'e canron' m ronoussunsrnncns.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALLACE Arrnnron a full, clear, and exact description of the in-v vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a process positing carbon in the pores of wood and other poroussubstances, and has for its object to produce a method that will be Sim;-

ple, certain, expeditious and inexpensive.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel steps constituting my process as well as in the novel product resultmgtherefrom, all as will be more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims;

In carrying out my invention, the substances to be treated such, as wood, paper materials, cloth, leather, etc., are first preferably dried in a vacuum with or without the application ofheat according to the nature the substance, and the-pores thus opened. I then immerse the dried wood or other materialin a solution containing an or an1c substance and an acid, such for examp e, as

sugar, glucose, or turpentine and sulfuric acid dissolved in water, alcohol or other solvent. I have found in the case of wood that the following solution produces excellentresults :-Three pounds of cane sugar, dissolvedin two gallons of water, and sufficient sulfuric acid added to make the mixture contain two per cent. sulfuric acid. Another mixture is :An alcoholic solution of. tur- I pentine containing about two pounds oftu'rpentine to agallon of alcohol with two or cent. of sulfuric acid added. After the'drled substance is thus immersed in the solution it may be subjected to pressure with or with.- out applying heat according tothe results desired. -The degree of pressure of course will also depend upon the nature of the wood or othermaterial being treated. For ordi-' nary woods, I find from seventy-five to one hundred pounds suificient to produce excellent results. Also the time this pressure. is applied W111 vary with the degree of impreg- Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 1918. Serial No. (86,815.

of denation desired. -I find from one to two 'hours produces excellent results with wood. After the impregnating material is thus a forced into the pores, it is preferably dried in a vacuum in the case of wood at the temperature derived'from a steam' pressure of from say ten to fifteen pounds; but of course this Patented Nov. 2,1915.

temperature will vary with the nature of the impregnated material. This drying action of course causes'the acid in the solution to liberate the carbonin the organic material andto deposit the same in an impalpable state throughout the pores penetrated. The completeness of this deposition will vary with the time of drying and also with the temperature employed, so that the operator by regulating one orboth of these factors may easily control the resulting color that is imparted. The shades that may be thus produced in the case of woods vary from a gray through reddish brown,- dark brown to black and jet black. And siifce carbon is chemically inert at ordinary temperatures, the colors thus obtained are permanent. Not only may carbon be thus "do osited, but

I other salts may be added in sma quantities to the solution, such for example, as the halogen salts of copper, iron, cobalt, etc., and the final colors thus modified at will. Again, other organic substances may be added to the impregnating material which will not be decomposed by the acid, and which will give (ertain specific physical properties to the impregated material. For example, gums or varnishes may be added to the impregnating solutions in order to 've the producta hard and brilliant finish.

or example, to the above solution of alcohol, turpentine and sulfuric acid, I may add in the proportion of one pound of gum to one gallon of said solution, the synthetic gIum described in my copending. application 0. 7 02046, filed 'June 6, 1912, and which is a condensation product of dioxy-diphenyl dimethyl-methane and formaldehyde. This makes the product waterproof, chemically resistant to reagents, very much less inflammable than \before, and it greatly increases the electrical insulatin properties of 1 the impregnated substance. is causes cheap soft woods to take on the qualities and properties of the highest grades of expensive hard woods, and, when properly colored as above disclosed such soft woods closely relid I :clear, as the art.

.or oxidizi' n g semble the hard weeds in appearance and wear, thus 'g it possible to use-said soft woods for doors and other places-where only hard woods are new employed.

0i course, my said gum can be loaded with any desired coloring material before it is applied, in that case, the finished.

pores in an impalsnbdirision found in the claims I do not intend to include a porous substance. wherein the carbon is mechanisally forced the pores, but only porous substances wherein the carbon 1s introduced into the pores by means of a solution and deposited from said solution by chemical means. The physical distinction between the two substances 15 very pronounced and be evident to those skilled in It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of my process withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof, and therefore I do not to be'limited to the above disclosure except as may be requiredby the claims.

What I claim 1. The process of depositing carbon in a "porous substance which consists in impregnating said substance un'th a solution of a chemical compound containing carbon and of an acid capable of precipitating said car- T bon in the pores of said substance, whereby said acid may liberate said carbon after said impregnation, substantially as described.

2. The process of depositing carbon in a porous substance which consists in suitably a -9 the pores of said substance; and

fsaid carbon in the whereby said acid 1- after said the pores of wid said'sub compound cont. an 1 i5 impregna said substance with a solu- 1 tion of a chemical compound containing car'-' bon and or an acid, capable of precipitating pores of said substance,

.3. The process of depositing carbon "in a porous sum. w

substance; impregnating i a. with asolution of a chemical carbon and of an acid said carbon in the capable of a stantially as described.

porous substance having.

dimethyl-meth may'liberate said carbon radon, substantially as p liberate the carbonrfsubstantially as de-v bich conslsts in opening Y messes combination and an acid capable of pre cipitating said carbon; applying pressure to the substances thus impregnated; and in applying heat to the substance thus impregnated to deposit the carbon in the pores sub- 5. The process of depositing carbon in porous substances which consists in impregnating said substances with a solution contaming a gum,'carbon in a chemical cornbination and an acid capable of precipitating said carbon; and in applying heat to the substance thus impregnated to deposit the carbon in the pores, substantially as de scribed. I I

6. The process of depositing carbon in porous substances which consists in drying said substances in a vacuum to open its pores; impregnating said substances with a.

solution containing a gum, carbon in a chemical combination and an acid'capable of precipitating said carbon; and in applying' heat to the substance thus impregnated to deposit the carbon in-the pores, substan tially as described. i

7. The process of depositing carbon in porous substances which consists in drying said substances in a vacuum to open the pores; impregnating said substances with a solution containing a gum, carbon in a chemical combination and an acid capable of precipitating said carbon; applying pres- I sure to force said solution into. the pores; and applying heat in a vacuum to dry the impregnated substances and to liberate the carbon, substantially as described.

8. The process of depositing carbon in porous substances which consists in drying said substances in a vacuum to open the pores; impregnating said substances with a solution containing a gum. consisting of a condensation product of .dioxy-diphenylno and formaldehyde, carbon in a chemical: combination and an acid capable of precipitating said carbon; ap plying pressure to'force said solution into the pores and applying heatin a vacuum to dry the impregnated substancesand to scribed, H 1

9. The herein-described product consistingof a, porous substance having carbon chemically dep'ositedin its pores in an impalpable state of subdivision, substantially as described.v v J 4 messes in an impalpable state of. subdivision, substantially as described.

11. The herein described product consistingof a porous substance having a gum consisting of a condensation product of 'dioxydiphenyl-dimethy1-methane and carbon deposited in its pores in an impalpable state of subdivision, substantially as described.

12. .The herein described product consisting of wood having carbon deposited in its pores in an impalpable state of subdivision, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I 'afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

I WALLACE mm mum; .Witnesses:

T. W. Wrmnnsroon, U. T. Mnnena'r. 

